SCR/Party Play with Ann Conway

Honorary Producers Curtis and Pamela Reis with actor Linda Gehringer (center)

Elaine Weinberg, Toi Perkins, Bette Aitken

Ernie and Gail Doe with The Piano Teacher playwright Julia Cho (center)

KEYED UP OVER 'THE PIANO TEACHER'
By Ann Conway

They seemed to be the questions on the tip of every First Nighter's tongue after watching the world premiere of Julia Cho's The Piano Teacher: "Are we able to look at our lives as they really are or as we wish they were?" And, "At what price?"

Grandmotherly Mrs. K (played by Linda Gehringer), the widowed piano teacher in Cho's unsettling work, thinks of her past career and marriage in almost fairy tale-like terms until two of her former students pay her a visit. Her late husband, a refugee from an (un-named) war-torn country, not only relished conjuring up graphic murderous images while he visited with her students in the family kitchen, they said, but was wont to verbally abuse her during his rages.

"This play on many levels is about the fact that her notions of what her life has been were not accurate," said SCR Artistic Director Martin Benson as he mingled with theatre-goers at the March 16 post-performance party at Scott's Seafood. "Maybe we all deceive ourselves in certain ways. There is a line in the play that goes: 'We've all agreed to keep the knives hidden for now.' That says it all."

For Gehringer — who was enthusiastically greeted by remarks such as, "This show is headed for Broadway!” — playing the role of an idealist in profound denial offered her the chance to participate in "one of the most beautifully written pieces I've ever performed," she said. "The character plays so truthfully that it's hard to tell a lie when you're inside of her."

As guests sipped fine wines and cruised buffets laden with platters of sushi, sandwiches and seafood, they not only rubbed elbows with Gehringer and actors Kevin Carroll and Toi Perkins, but Cho, and director Kate Whoriskey, as they rhapsodized about the play being an SCR commission and the theater's 100th world premiere. "That just illustrates the enduring excellence of SCR," observed SCR Board President Larry Higby, who, during his remarks on the Julianne Argyros Stage, had invited members of the audience to applaud the play's Honorary Producers, Pamela and Curtis Reis, and its Corporate Producer, The Citigroup Private Bank. "These are great friends of the theatre," Higby said.

For SCR supporter Linda Hovee, the play's great strength lies in its commentary on the emotional damage that can be wrought upon unsuspecting children. "This is damage that can ultimately destroy their lives," she said. "It doesn't have to be physical. Mental is worse."

SCR Trustee Tom Rogers observed that the play is about "what we just don't want to recognize is going on in our lives. It's a very interesting play that clearly requires an actress of consummate skill to carry it," he continued, "because Gehringer really does carry it. I would hope that it would go on to Broadway!"

Also on the scene: Marc Levin, Tom Merrick, Phoebe and Robert Lambeth, Elena Ferruzzo, Mark Bauer of U.S. Bank and Adrienne Allen, Jay Vecchione of American Airlines, and Dennis and Bobbie Hagerty and Todd and Melissa Peterson of Keyboard Concepts/Yamaha.

Megan Monaghan, John Glore, Wyndham's Tom Smalley and Catherine Fung, director-playwright Chay Yew	Joanne Keith, Linda Gehringer
David Shilling, Joanne Keith, actor Kevin Carroll, Marvina Shilling, Inga Liden, Dennis Keith	Elaine Weinberg, Betty Huang, Bette Aitken, Linda Gehringer, Olivia Johnson
Actor Toi Perkins, Robert Plumleigh	Betty Huang, actor Toi Perkins, S.L. Huang
Tod and Linda White, Linda and David Roberson	Scott's Seafood spread for First Nighters
Martin Benson and Jamie Greenland-Gorey of Boudin Bakery	Linda Gehringer receives applause